On 26 June 2012 she appeared on the BBC Two current affairs programme Newsnight and was interviewed about Chancellor George Osborne's decision that day to delay plans to increase fuel duty.[10] Interviewer Jeremy Paxman questioned the apparent change in her views on fuel duty.[11] The interview attracted much comment from the media and other political figures, and was described as a "mauling" and a "humiliation" for Smith.[12][13] Senior politicians, including John Prescott and Nadine Dorries questioned Osborne's judgement for sending a junior minister onto the programme in place of himself.[10][14]

In August 2013 she was criticised by transparency campaigners for blocking the identification of civil servants and public sector bodies responsible for £77m of flights booked through the Government Procurement Service.[15] In October 2013 she resigned from the Cabinet Office to "concentrate on the most important part of my job: being the Member of Parliament for Norwich North."[16]

During the campaign for the 2015 general election Smith was mocked by political opponents for quoting a constituent's letter in her election literature.[17] The letter, first published in the Norwich Evening News newspaper, said she seemed "to act more like a Socialist than a Conservative."[18]Political Scrapbook, an influential left-wing political blog, published a mocked-up photograph depicting Smith as Marxist "urban guerilla" Wolfie Smith giving a clenched fist salute outside Norwich railway station.[17][19] Smith responded: "Clearly I am not a socialist I am a proud Conservative. What the letter writer was saying was my work can appeal across party lines." Labour Party candidate Jessica Asato said: "Local people won't forget she is one of the most loyal Conservative MPs and shows unwavering support for the vicious bedroom tax, tax cuts for millionaires and the swift march of the profiteers into the NHS. If this is socialism I'll eat my hat."[17]